Job overview
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL ONLY ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM STAFF CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY SWANSEA BAY UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD.
Join an award‑winning national team driving innovation across Wales!
Are you passionate about improving patient outcomes, curious about research, and excited by the idea of contributing to meaningful, real‑world change? This brand‑new Research Assistant role within the Lymphoedema Wales Clinical Network (LWCN) offers a fantastic opportunity to be part of one of Wales’ most forward‑thinking, data‑driven national clinical networks.
Working within the LWCN Research & Evaluation Team, you’ll play a key role in shaping, supporting, and delivering high‑impact research, evaluation, quality improvement and audit projects; from project set‑up right through to dissemination. Every day will bring something different, and your work will directly influence national service development and patient care. You should have great Microsoft Office and digital tools, be organised, proactive, and able to manage multiple tasks and be a great communicator with strong interpersonal skills.
Main duties of the job
As a Research Assistant, with training and support from the LWCN National Team, you’ll contribute to
1. Setting up and coordinating research and evaluation projects
2. Collating literature, background evidence, and governance documents
3. Assisting with ethics applications
4. Collecting, entering, cleansing, and preparing data for analysis
5. Organising and supporting focus groups, interviews, surveys and study visits
6. Transcribing and working with patient‑generated data
7. Coordinating meetings (virtual and face‑to‑face)
8. Supporting presentations, reports and dissemination activities
9. Drafting communication plans and supporting patient engagement events
10. Helping develop educational materials and resources
Working for our organisation
We believe staff are our best asset and we want you to be happy and confident about starting your career here in Swansea Bay University Health Board.
As one of the biggest healthcare groups in the UK we can offer a wealth of professional training and development opportunities in an innovative, forward-thinking organisation.
You might be a nurse or doctor, maybe you specialise in a health science/therapy or can offer skills in one of our support services - we have a job for you.
There are also apprenticeships, work placements and volunteering roles available.
We are an inclusive employer and welcome applications from everyone whatever their sex; religion or belief; race; age; sexual orientation; gender identity or, whether they are pregnant or have recently been on maternity leave, married or are in a civil partnership; or, whether they are disabled.
Our values - Caring For Each Other, Working Together and Always Improving, show that our commitment to equality is at the heart of everything we do.
If you want excellent career and training opportunities while living on the doorstep of some of Europe's most spectacular scenery, with all the benefits of a thriving and cosmopolitan city - look no further.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see main job description. As well as research projects you will be supporting service evaluation and audits too.
Person specification
Qualifications and Knoweldge
Essential criteria
11. Diploma in Administration or equivalent experience.
12. Computer Literate – competent in Microsoft Office applications with good keyboard skills
Desirable criteria
13. Degree or equivalent in healthrelated subject
14. Knowledge of Research permissions, R&D approvals process and research legislation
Experience
Essential criteria
15. Database user (input & output)
Desirable criteria
16. Previous NHS background
17. Working experience within research environment
18. Presentation Experience
19. Previous experience working within an office environment
Adhere to and can demonstrate SBU Values & Behaviours
Essential criteria
20. Good Interpersonal & communication skills with staff at all levels both verbal and written
21. Numerate and confident with figures
22. Understanding the importance of high-quality information with the ability to collect and collate information to generate reports
23. Understanding of confidentiality and Data Protection Principles
24. Time management: work well under pressure and within deadlines
25. Ability to work on own initiative
26. Meticulous attention to detail
Desirable criteria
27. Welsh Language Skills are desirable levels 1 to 5 in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in Welsh Ability to travel between sites in a timely manner
28. Assertive and confident
29. travel in timely manner across sites
Swansea Bay University Health Board is committed to supporting its staff and processes to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing service users experience. In our commitment to increase the number of staff able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we would particularly welcome applications from Welsh speakers.
Equality remains at the centre of the Health Boards policy-making, service delivery and employment practices. We value the diversity of our staff and welcome applications from people from protected groups under the Equality Act 2010, this specifically includes age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/reassignment, race, religion, disability, pregnancy and maternity and marriage and civil partnership.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Welsh language skills are desirable